Diaphragm buffer mechanism



Ez-ven oi'ney G. G. GILPIN l DIAPHRAGM BUFFER MECHANISM Flled Aprll 2,1926 Nov. 9 1926.

Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

UNITED sares ATENT oFFlcE.

GAR'II-I G. GILPIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION METALPRODUCTS COMPANY, OF`CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DIAPHRAGIJI BUFFER MECHANISM.

Application filed April 2', 1926.

Upper buffer springs are used to keep the diaphragm tace plates ofadjacent passenger' train cars in contact with each other on either astraight or curved track. Semielliptical or bowed springs are used forthis purpose because they can also be arranged to keep the tace plate inthe center of the car and also maintain the tace plate in its properangular position. These semi-elliptical springs are attached to thediaphragm tace plate at their middle portion and have their extremitiesattached to the car in such a way as to obtain the above mentioneddesired results.

A semi-elliptical spring can be positioned and attached on the outsideot the ear so that it is noiseless; easy to inspect; accessible Jforrepairs and has a low maintenance cost.

It is common practice to attach the middle ot a semi-elliptical springto a diaphragm face plate and attach its extremities to the end wall otthe car by'means which permit the ends of the spring to move and alsoprovide an engagement between one extermity oi thev spring and the meansthat becomes effective when the 'tace plate is forced into an obliqueposition with respect to the car, in rounding curves, or when it iscaused to chate by the uneven running' of the car, which engagementdistorts the spring, thereby tending to return the face plate to normalposition. A sliding arrangement or a shackle construction may be usedfor this purpose.

My invention relates to cars equipped with diaphragm face plates and hasfor its object the particular and peculiar manner ot positioning a pairof quarter elliptic springs between the face plate and the car, each ofwhich springs has one end rigidly secured to one ofthe aforesaidelements and means tor attaching the opposite ends of the springs to theother of the aforesaid elements, which means permit the ends of thespring to move a predetermined amount to accomplish the desired resultsmentioned heretofore.

vSome railway messenger train cars recently constructed are providedwith an apexed diaphragm which acts as a water shed and also preventsthe accumulation of cinders, etc. buch4 apexed diaphragms require anapexed diaphragm face plate and as the spring must be attached to thetace plate outside ot the diaphragm the middle Serial No. 99,326.

portion of the spring is considerably higher from the rail than whenapplied to a tace plate ot the old construction. It is not customary norpractical in such cars to raise the end carline or ramp of the end wallof the car.. When a straight semi-elliptical spring is used with anapexed- :tace plate its extremities do not bear upon the end carline,thus necessitating building up an eX- pensive and cumbersome bracketwhich must be very strong to accommodate the spring.

It would be very difficult to form a semielliptic spring with its endsout of alignment with the middle portion, as would be required to meetthe conditions as illustrated in Figs. l and 5. In order to properlyfunction the leaves of an elliptic spring must be in contact over theirentire area which condition is difficult to obtain when a compound leafspring is arched in two planes normal to each other.

My invention is especially adaptable to cars equipped with apeXdiaphragms and apexed face plates and has for its further object theparticular positioning of' a pair of quartereelliptic springs betweenthe face plate and the car. longitudinal aXes at an angle to each other.The ends of the springs adjacent the middle oi the car are located abovethe diaphragm while their o-pposite ends are located over the endcarline which necessitates the ends of the spring adjacent the taceplate being positioned above the ends of the spring adjacent the endwall of the car.

In the drawings:

Figs. l, 2 and 3 show the device applied to a car with an ordinarydiaphragm face plate and with the springs rigidly secured to the car.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the device applied to a car with an apexed diaphragmtace plate and with the springs rigidly secured to the face plate.

The diaphragm 2 is positioned between the face plate 3 and the end wall4 of the car and the quarter elliptic springs 5 are interposedtherebetween.

In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the quarter elliptic springs are rigidlysecured to the end wall of the car and movably secured to the diaphragmface plate, while in Figs. 4; and 5 the quarter elliptic springs arerigidly secured to the face plate and movably secured to the end wallor" the car. Either construc- The springs have their the face plate areabove the ends of theV springs adjacent the end wall of the car so thatthe latter ends may be mounted upon the end carline 8.

When the movable ends of the springs are adjacent the face plate awearing plate 9 is used. l

lWhile I speciiically describe one application of the device, it isunderstood that there may be other forms and modifications the 1eo't'and I intend to file other applications for patents covering such otherconstructions.

I claim l. In combination with the end wall and diaphragm face plate ofa railway car; a pair of quarter elliptic springs, each spring having'one end secured to one of the aforesaid elements, and means forattac-hing the opposite ends of the springs to the other aforesaidelement, which means permit the ends of the springs to move.

2. In combination with the end wall and diaphragm face plate of arailway car; a pair of quarter elliptic springs, each spring having` oneend secured to the end Wall ot' the car, and means for attaching theopposite ends of the springs to the face plate, which means permit theends of the springs to move. Y

3. In combination with the end wall and diaphragm face plate of arailwajT car; a

pair of quarter elliptic springs, each spring having one end secured toone of the aforesaid elements, and means for attaching the opposite endsO the springs to the other aforesaid element, which means permit theends of the springs to move a predetermined amount.

4. In combination with the end Wall and diaphragm face plate of arailway car, a pair of quarter elliptic springs, each spring having oneend secured to the end wall ot' the car, and means for attaching theopposite ends of the springs to the face plate, which means permit theends of the springs to move a predetermined amount.

In combination with the end wall and diaphragm face plate of a railwaycar; a pair o quarter elliptic springs, each spring having one endsecured to one of the aoren said elements, and means for attaching theopposite ends of the springs to the other aforesaid element, which meanspermit the ends the springs to move, the ends of the springs adjacentthe face plate being above the ends of the springs adjacent the end Wallof the car.

6. In combination with the end wall and diaphragm tace plate of arailway car; a pair of quarter elliptic springs, each spring hai/'ingone end secured to the end wall of the car, and means for attaching theopposite ends ot' the springs to the face plate, which means permit theends ot' the springs to move, the ends of the springs adjacent the taceplate being above the ends of the springs adj acent the end wall of thecar.

GAR-TH G. GILPIN.

